| In this section we outline the steps an individual
or a team can take to get trained in DBT. While we’ve
included recommendations for individual training, we’ve
done so with the assumption that no therapist would
attempt to treat clients with Borderline Personality
Disorder (BPD) in DBT without the support and supervision
from weekly meetings in a consultation team. |
Individual Clinicians New to DBT |
These are steps for individuals who a) are new
to DBT and are considering whether or not to start
a team so they can become well-trained in the treatment
OR b) have recently joined an already established
DBT team and need to “catch up” to the
other team members’ level of knowledge. |
| 1. |
Attend a Two-day
Training or a series of Two-day Trainings. |
| 2. |
Attend an annual Association
for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT) conference
for workshops on DBT and related topics. |
| 3. |
If not a member
of an already established team, form a team. |
| 4. |
If joining a team that is already Intensively trained,
attend a Five-day Foundational DBT Training designed
specifically to give new team members foundational
content to support your program. |
Forming a New
DBT Consultation Team |
| We’ve provided the
following guidelines on how to ensure that you have
enough support for your new program development. |
| 1. |
Begin by forming
a team. You cannot do DBT alone. A DBT team is defined
as anyone who is providing any mode of DBT treatment,
i.e. individual therapists, skills trainers, DBT pharmocotherapists,
DBT case managers, etc. “Visitors” or people
who are considering whether or not they wish to be
involved in DBT are not part of the DBT team. The members
of the new DBT team make the commitment necessary
to learn the treatment. You need perspective when
a polarizing dispute begins. The maximum number for
a team is ten and, if you really want time to discuss
issues that arise in detail, a team of eight should
extend its meeting time from one to one and a half
hours. |
| 2. |
The newly formed team then agrees to do the following: |
| |
a. |
Read the six consultation team agreements outlined
on pp.117-119 in Cognitive
Behavior Treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder (Linehan,
1993a). Discuss the agreements fully and only proceed
to step b after every team member clearly understands
and has agreed to the rules for the team |
| |
b. |
Set and adhere to a weekly meeting time of one
hour for smaller teams and at least one and one
half hours for larger teams (see above for parameters
of team size). |
| |
c. |
Read Cognitive
Behavior Treatment of Borderline Personality
Disorder together, chapter-by-chapter.
Rotate leadership of chapter discussion.
If you read two chapters per week, the book
can be finished in less than eight weeks. |
| 3. |
If the team
is confident it understands the basics of the treatment,
attend a Two-day
Skills Training workshop. |
| 4. |
If the team is struggling with the basics of the
treatment, attend a Two-day
Introductory workshop. |
New
Members of an Intensively Trained Team |
Behavioral
Tech offers the Five-day Foundational DBT Training,
designed specifically for individual or group therapists
who are members of an Intensively Trained team,
but who have not completed Intensive Training themselves.
It is not a substitute for Intensive Training,
but is meant to assist teams that have hired new
staff or experienced turn-over. This training allows
newer team members to get trained at a five-day
training that will cover the standard content of
DBT. The training will assume that everyone in
attendance works in an active DBT program, participates
on a consultation team, and works with a comprehensively
trained team. This course is content heavy, and
is five full days of training. (Schedule
of Events) |
